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Indyref

James Mitchell discusses how the SNP's programme for everyday public policy will be the main challenge for the next Scottish Government. This post originally appeared on The Academy of Government blog.

Scotland has a female First Minister, who competes in Holyrood with a female Leader of the Scottish Labour Party, as well as a female leader of the Scottish Conservatives. While this should be welcomed, we should not assume that the problem of women’s under representation is solved for good, and instead look at what statutory measures could do to achieve lasting positive change, argue Meryl Kenny, Fiona MacKay, and Cera Murtagh.

One year ago, Scottish voters were called to decide whether the nation should become an independent country or stay in the UK – essentially the question on the ballot paper was about Scotland’s future constitutional status. The referendum debate itself though, like most current debates about the future of Scotland and the UK, was and is closely connected to a range of policy issues.

Since the independence referendum a year ago, unionists have been trying to find a way to define what it is and a core and purpose of 'Britishness'. If they continue in this vein, says Michael Keating, they run the risk of destroying the very thing they are trying to save.

A year on from the independence referendum, David Bell considers what's happened since, particularly in terms of the economy and economic powers. He also considers where Scotland would be now had the vote gone the other way.

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